Ivy Cottage, Ketley, Wellington. - Does it still exist?

[Laura Michelle]

My Nan n grandad used to rent ivy cottage when my mum was a child. ( the original ivy cottage) in 1966-1972, My grandad wanted to buy it but the landlady wouldn’t sell it, so on a  visit to Preston to see family my Grandad bought a house in Preston and they moved here. Ive included a picture of the renovated new bungalow which was built in its place, it was taken about  15 years ago. Unfortunately my nan dosent have a picture of before it was knocked down n rebuilt x

[Enfield Medcalf]

Hi, I have just come across this post whilst researching a postcard I bought.
The card is addressed to Mollie Healey, IvyCottage, Ketley Town, Wellington, Salop and post franked 1914 by the Belgian Milutary Postes.  I dont know the senders name, but am guessing he is in the Belgian military.

[cj1992]

Hi, I have just come across this post whilst researching a postcard I bought.
The card is addressed to Mollie Healey, IvyCottage, Ketley Town, Wellington, Salop and post franked 1914 by the Belgian Milutary Postes.  I dont know the senders name, but am guessing he is in the Belgian military.

Thank you so much for posting your enquiry.

"Mollie" was actually Georgina Eleanor Harris Healey (1897-1974).

She lived at Ivy Cottage with her sister Sarah Anne Elizabeth Healey (1891-1954) and her parents Thomas Healey (1859-1930) and Annie Stanworth Healey, née Harris (1857-1931).

Mollie was born at Ivy Cottage and she eventually went on to own it.

In all probability the postcard was sent by a Belgian soldier called Jacques. My partner always thought that Jacques was Sarah's boyfriend but the postcard might indicate otherwise (Sarah was my partner's grandmother and was always known as Annie).

Is there any possibility we could see images of the postcard please? It would be lovely to add them to our records.

I've attached a picture of Mollie for you.

[cj1992]

My Nan n grandad used to rent ivy cottage when my mum was a child. ( the original ivy cottage) in 1966-1972, My grandad wanted to buy it but the landlady wouldn’t sell it, so on a  visit to Preston to see family my Grandad bought a house in Preston and they moved here. Ive included a picture of the renovated new bungalow which was built in its place, it was taken about  15 years ago. Unfortunately my nan dosent have a picture of before it was knocked down n rebuilt x

Dear Laura

I'm so sorry that it has taken so long for me to reply to you. I haven't been on Rootschat for such a long time and I didn't receive any notification that you had posted some comments.

We did eventually find Ivy Cottage and I've attached photographs for you. There was originally a lot of land with the cottage and over the years it was sold off. I think that the bungalow you mentioned might be the one shown in the top right hand corner of one of the photographs I've attached, but I can't be sure.

It would be interesting to know the names of your Nan and Grandad if possible. The landlady you mention was probably Georgina Weatherby, née Healey (the sister of my partner's grandmother). Georgina was always known as Mollie.  She was born in Ivy Cottage in 1897 and died in 1974.

Kind regards.

Chris.

[Enfield Medcalf]

Hi Chris, thanks for the info and photo of Mollie.
I cannot see the senders name on the postcard.
I am a member of Facebook group "Family Treasures Reinstated" and my own small group "Old Time Postcards" where this card will feature.
It's been interesting to research this one with the results I have achieved with the help of others.
Would your partner know Jacques surname?
Peter

[cj1992]

Hi Chris, thanks for the info and photo of Mollie.
I cannot see the senders name on the postcard.
I am a member of Facebook group "Family Treasures Reinstated" and my own small group "Old Time Postcards" where this card will feature.
It's been interesting to research this one with the results I have achieved with the help of others.
Would your partner know Jacques surname?
Peter

Thank you so much Peter.

This raises many questions.

From the way the message has been written it doesn't look as though the card was sent from boyfriend to girlfriend. Also there doesn't seem to be any suggestion of the name Jacques. (Unfortunately we don't know what Jacques' surname was). There is always the possibility that the name Jacques was a common name in the same way that Georgina was known as Mollie.

The name at the bottom of the message seems to be M. (presumably Monsieur) Ch (perhaps Charles)  but I can't make out the surname. It looks as though it might start with the letter C. It appears to have been sent from an address in Calais.

My partner has a vague recollection of being told that he was in hospital but this was over sixty years ago so she is not really sure.

I don't know if you have managed to decipher the complete message. We have tried but we can't get all of it.

It's interesting to note that he has spelled the word "some" as "somme" with underlining. A coded message perhaps?

Please keep us updated with your progress. If we can be of any help just let me know. We have got plenty of information about Mollie and the Healeys in general.

Just as a matter of interest, what does the front of the card show?

Kind regards.

Chris.




 

[Enfield Medcalf]

Chris,
Yes I noticed the Somme spelling and thought of a coded message but then I noticed he spelt THINCK incorrectly, but not bad for 2nd language.
He seems to write that he will go to Anvours, ? and then onto the front again. At first I thought he meant Anvers (Antwerp) but my wife, who is a French speaking Belgian thinks it isnt'.  Anvers is a distance from Calais and then back to the front?
His army details/address seems to be listed between the lines but I am not knowledgeable about them.
Do you think Jacques was originally a Belgian refugee in this country before he enlisted and went back? This may be how he met Mollie.
I attach the front of the card.
Peter

[cj1992]

Chris,
Yes I noticed the Somme spelling and thought of a coded message but then I noticed he spelt THINCK incorrectly, but not bad for 2nd language.
He seems to write that he will go to Anvours, ? and then onto the front again. At first I thought he meant Anvers (Antwerp) but my wife, who is a French speaking Belgian thinks it isnt'.  Anvers is a distance from Calais and then back to the front?
His army details/address seems to be listed between the lines but I am not knowledgeable about them.
Do you think Jacques was originally a Belgian refugee in this country before he enlisted and went back? This may be how he met Mollie.
I attach the front of the card.
Peter

Hello Peter

Sadly we don't have anymore information about "Jacques". Apparently Mollie's parents liked him a lot which makes us think that they must have known him for a while. There is one family member who might know something but it's a long shot. I'll let you know if anything comes of it.

It's strange that the sender of the card was writing to Mollie like this. As I said before, it doesn't seem like a message from boyfriend to girlfriend. It lacks emotion. I would have thought that he would have written to Sarah (that is, if they did have a relationship) or perhaps their parents. I wouldn't have thought that he would have sent a card to each individual.

We are still trying to decipher the full message. It might be our imagination but does it say Dieppe after "Anvours"?  He goes on to say "and so back to the front" but I haven't had chance to check up on where the front lines were at that time.

Kind regards.

Chris.

[Enfield Medcalf]

Chris,
Yes I believe he says he will go to Auvours, an army training camp, in the Pays de la Loire and then to Dieppe and back to the front.
Peter